Shards of Time
by Star Equinox
Summary: Clavat Alida and Selkie Kalyi Fei are the sole members of the Tipa Caravan. They have no idea that the future rests in their hands, and time is running out. Rated T for safety.
1. Chapter 1

Yaay! This is the first chapter! Read and enjoy!

Kalyi Fei: You used too many exclamation marks…

Star Equinox: Grr…get back in the story.

Kalyi Fei: Just saying…

Star Equinox: Whatever. Do the copyright stuff already!

Kalyi Fei: (E-hem) Star Equinox does not own Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Square-Enix or its affiliates, Nintendo, Gamecube or Wii…

Alida: Uhh…I think you should just start on the story already.

Star Equinox: Good point.

Chapter 1

The waters of Conall Curach rippled slowly and silently along the surface, hiding its secrets in its depths. Miasma curled and billowed, thickened in the air, and stretching beyond the horizon. The wetlands were blotted along the waters, speckling across the terrain. Wooden planks connected them, creating a broken, makeshift bridge between the isles.

A young Selkie girl surveyed the scene, feeling the weight of her ancestor's despair. So many Selkies had died along the exact trail that her footsteps were now following. "I hate this place," she muttered. "Whose smart idea was it to come here?"

"Yours."

Kalyi Fei glanced at her Clavat friend. "Yeah, well…" Kalyi muttered, "You agreed to it."

The Clavat girl looked over at her companion. "And you were the one who wanted to see De Nam."

Kalyi Fei made a face. "Now you're just being mean."

Alida raised an eyebrow. "I don't think so. A Clavat isn't capable of being mean."

"True," Kalyi agreed, "But you're capable of being obnoxious."

"Hey! Now who's being mean?"

The two girls giggled, continuing down their path. A stout little moogle flitted next to them, carrying the chalice.

Alida, the Clavat, was a little taller than Kalyi Fei, with short dark hair hidden under a Clavatian head plate. Her Clavat coat was worn from their travels, but it still proudly bore her family crest in its golden threads.

Kalyi tucked a strand of silvery lilac hair behind her ear. She wore the traditional Selkie travel clothes, but they were as well-used as Alida's clothes. A speck of chain mail peeked out from her sleeve. Also, she was left-handed, which was unusual for a Selkie. Her anklets and wristlets were tied with a band of cloth, protecting Kalyi Fei's joints whenever she had to move quickly.

Kalyi Fei hurried over join her companion. She wouldn't admit it, but she felt safer when they stayed close together. She glanced at the small moogle that carried the chalice. "You're okay, Mog?" she asked.

"Kupo," the Moogle answered through its clenched teeth. It seemed tired from carrying the chalice in its mouth. "I'm fine."

Alida hefted her shield in her hand and sighed. They had been traveling in Conall Curach for a day and a half, and they still had a long way to go before they reached the Myrrh Tree. It would only be their second drop, and they would need one more before they could head back home to Tipa.

Tipa. Alida smiled, remembering their village. Ever since she and Kalyi had volunteered for the Caravan, neither of them had been able to see Tipa during the spring and summer. Those months were set aside for gathering myrrh. Then, six hard months would have to pass before any caravan was able to return to its hometown. When the fall and winter months pass, they had to start all over again.

Alida missed Tipa. . She missed the bright sun beating down on her skin, the chirping birds, and the sweet smell of the wild flowers. When she and Kalyi Fei were little kids, they would race across the hillside, picking the blossoms that grew within the village. And then—

"Look out!" Kalyi Fei shoved Alida out of the way as a frigid cold blast of ice swept across Alida's cheek. Alida hit the wooden planks, instinctively throwing up her shield in defense. In front of her, a large Gigan Toad reared up, ready to throw its next attack. She glanced behind her, seeing the waning effects of a vicious blizarra spell.

Kalyi Fei was already on the move. She charged up a focus attack, and released a dual psi blast from her racket. The Gigan Toad flinched, and swiped at empty air as Kalyi Fei sped off, preparing another attack.

Alida activated the fire magicite on her ring. The little red orb blazoned a bright glow. "Flamestrike!" Alida yelled.

Kalyi Fei shot a look at the Clavat, and gave a curt nod. Within seconds, Kalyi Fei's prism bludgeon had tongues of flames leaping from it, as a fiery dual blast slammed into the monster.

"Bull's eye!" Alida raised her sword, centering a focus attack. She released its power, allowing her weapon the carry her to the beast, as she rammed her feathered saber into its side.

In anger, the toad lashed out, but Alida blocked the attack with her shield. Kalyi Fei moved in, ready to deliver the ending blow. "Kalyi!" Alida screamed. "Look out!"

Kalyi Fei turned around, and immediately did a somersault, flipping out of the way of a thunder bomb. "Give me another flamestrike!" Kalyi yelled.

But Alida was having problems of her own. The toad, with renewed strength, had begun to cast blizerra again. Alida was doing all she could to avoid the attacks on the narrow planks, and swiping at the toad whenever she had an opening.

Kalyi raced forward at the purple bomb, interchanging her weapon to her Butterfly Head. Earlier, she had fused a blizzard magicite into the handle of her weapon. When she was close enough, she charged up a focus attack.

A pink circle of energy suddenly encompassed around the Selkie. _Oh no…_ Kalyi was trapped within her focus attack, unable to dodge the spell.

She forced herself to wait, timing it at the right instant. "Hyaah!" she yelled, releasing the attack when the bomb was in range.

She leaped out of the circle not a moment too soon. Boulders plummeted down from the sky, slamming into the target. At the exact instant, Kalyi rammed her racket into the bomb, and simultaneously kicked it. A frigid cold block of ice circled the bomb before it shattered and went down in an instant. Kalyi immediately fled off in the opposite direction as the bomb started to convulse.

Alida saw what was happening to the bomb. "Come on, ugly!" she yelled at the toad. "Nyah nyah, can't catch me!"

The toad obviously didn't understand the gibberish language of this strange creature, but it could sense the mockery. It hurdled forward, as the Clavat ran toward the bomb. She then sped off where Kalyi Fei was waiting.

Alida's timing was perfect. The bomb exploded right next to the toad. The force wave knocked the toad over, ending the battle.

"Yea!" Kalyi skipped over to where the monsters had once been. "Tipa, 56. Monsters, 0."

"Monsters had better be zero," Alida said, walking over to Kalyi. "Tipa can't survive if they even score one point. But, how long have you been keeping count?"

Kalyi shrugged. "Since we left our caravan," she said. "And what was that for?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips. "Using my monster to finish off your monster? Unfair!" Alida giggled.

Kalyi knelt down, examining the spoils of their battle. "Toad oil and gil." She hefted the golden coins in her hands. "Sweet." She pocketed the gil. After their trek, they would divide their treasure between each other. But for now, Kalyi got to carry the gil. She loved the sound of the gold coins clinging inside her wallet.

Alida plopped down next to Kalyi, who motioned to Mog to put the chalice down and take a break. "If you think about it," Alida said, scraping the toad oil into a little jar, "we already won point-wise. The most the monsters could score is two points."

Kalyi glanced at her friend. "Two points?" she asked.

Alida blinked. "Yeah. You and me. That's the most they could score." She wondered why Kalyi was confused at this.

"Alida! Shame on you!"

"What?"

"What about Mog?"

"Huh?" She glanced at the little moogle behind her, who was patiently waiting for the two girls. "Mog doesn't count!" Alida retorted.

"'Mog doesn't count?'" Kalyi repeated, giving a pretend look of shock to Alida. "How could you say such a thing? Just because he doesn't need Myrrh to survive, doesn't mean he's not part of our Caravan!" she picked Mog out of the air, giving the little moogle a hug. "How could you be so mean?"

"What I meant is that the monsters never attack him!" Alida answered. "There's no way how he's ever going to get hurt!" She rolled her eyes. "Besides, the way you treat him, the little guy couldn't be happier."

"What do you mean?!" Kalyi said.

In all of this, Mog didn't mind. He was used to constantly being hugged by Kalyi. He didn't mind, just as long as no other moogles were watching. In that case, his face would become redder than his little bombom.

"And," Alida said pointedly, "you're the one who's always painting his fur and opting to carry the chalice when he's tired!"

Kalyi released the moogle, who took his place, flitting in the air. "You know, Kupo," he said to her, "I was waiting to cast a spell for your flamestrike, kupo."

"You were?" Kalyi said. "Oops. Sorry, Mog, I didn't hear you."

"See?" Alida sad, turning to Kalyi. "Instead of pestering me to give you another flamestrike, you could have combined your power with Mog."

"Oh sure," Kalyi muttered. "Blame the Selkie."

--

The three caravanners trudged through the marshes, attacking any monster that they happened upon. It was almost the end of the second day, and they were nearing the split where the ground becomes more solid footing.

"There! There he is!" Kalyi Fei pointed in the distance, where a Selkie youth was kneeling over a bridge, gathering water in a little jar. "De Nam!"

De Nam didn't stir. He screwed the lid over the little jar, and proceeded to fill another jar. "De Nam!" Alida yelled.

Kalyi Fei look confused. She was sure he could hear them. Why was he ignoring them?

The two girls half run, half walk, over to where the Selkie was contently filling up jars. Mog followed after them, carrying the chalice. "De Nam! Wait! Kupo! Slow down!" Mog cried, straining to keep up with the other two.

De Nam didn't take notice until the caravanners were only a few feet away from him. He glanced up, looking confused. "Oh no, not again…" he muttered, more to himself. "I thought if I ignored it, it would go away…"

"De Nam," Kalyi Fei ventured hesitantly, "What are you talking about?"

"Scram," he snapped at the two girls as he packed away the jars of water. "I have enough trouble with the monsters and miasma."

"De Nam?" Kalyi asked, a little surprised. She took a few steps toward the Selkie. De Nam rolled his eyes, and turned his back on her, and continued to pack the little jars of water. Mog fluttered forward, careful to keep both girls in the protective aura of the crystal.

The aura's barrier fell over the Selkie scientist, who stopped, looking confused. The air he was breathing was clear of miasma. Slowly he stood up, staring at the border of the aura, where the miasma shrank away. "Wait a minute," he said, "that can't happen…"

He whipped around. "Kalyi Fei?" he asked, surprised. "Is—is that really you?"

"Of course it's me!"

He stared at the two girls, bewildered. "What—what are you doing here?!?"

"We came to see you!" Alida answered.

De Nam smiled. "Well, that's great! Oh…wait a minute…"

He stepped out of the chalice's protection, re-entering the miasma. A sharp, painful pang hit his lungs. He took a deep breath from shock, swallowing more miasma.

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. "I—I shouldn't really stay in your chalice's aura…I'll lose my resistance…"

De Nam turned around facing the two girls. He smiled, trying to sound casual "So, how have you two been?" he asked. "You're getting my letters, I hope?"

"De Nam," Alida asked, worry etched in her voice. "What—what happened a moment ago?"

De Nam's eyes fell, as he averted his gaze to the waters. He heaved a sigh. "I guess it's pretty obvious," he answered after a while. "The Miasma is making me go crazy." He shrugged hopelessly. "I keep having hallucinations, and I keep hearing things. Just yesterday, I thought I saw the caravan from Shella, and the day before that, I saw my mother…who's been dead since I was fourteen…."

He jumped at the last sentence. He hadn't meant to let that little piece of information slip of out of his mouth. He glanced at the two girls. "Your mother died?" Alida asked in surprise. De Nam rarely talked about his family.

De Nam gave a small shrug, knowing it was pointless to hide the fact. "Yeah…" he muttered solemnly. Unsettling silence surrounded the trio. The only sound that could be heard was the soft bubbling of the marshes, and the occasional growl of a monster puncturing the air.

Kalyi Fei stood across from De Nam. The borderline of the crystal separated them, almost as if they were in different worlds. Kalyi who was protected by the crystal, and De Nam who was constantly being plundered by the miasma. They had both come from the crystal's world, which protected them from the deadly gas. But De Nam had willingly entered the Miasma, in hopes of finding a way to survive in it.

De Nam cleared his throat. "Well, I don't want to keep you two waiting. I know you have a duty to fill." He glanced at his samples of miasma-infected water. "Oh dang…"

"What is it?" Alida asked. De Nam held up a jar of crystal clean water. "The miasma disintegrated when I entered your crystal's aura. I gotta fill them up again…"

Kalyi gave a small smile. "Hehe. Sorry?"

He smiled wearily with them. "You girls go along. I got work to do."

They nodded, moving along their path. Before they were out of earshot Alida called back, "We're really, really sorry!"

He didn't respond beyond a simple wave of his hand, before he disappeared into the swirling mist of the Miasma behind them, leaving them alone once again to continue their journey.

--

"Think we'll see 'big-ugly' again?" Kalyi Fei asked. She swung her arms to and fro, trying to have her blood run freely in her veins. She was tired of the cramp aura of the crystal. Besides, even though it protected her and Alida from the poisonous gas, it couldn't drive away the dampness of the air.

Alida shrugged. They had been traveling for three days, and they were almost close to the tree. Then Alida added, "If you stay far, far away from its treasure, I'm sure we'll have no problem."

Kalyi Fei pouted. "But I'm a Selkie! I like treasure…" She gave a mournful look to her friend.

Alida couldn't help but crack a smile. "Your 'Selkic love' for treasure nearly got us killed last time." Alida teased. She stopped in her tracks, throwing her head back and lifting her chin. "But lucky you, I was there to protect you."

"Hmmm…" Kalyi Fei raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Was this before or after you got caught in its petrification spell?"

Alida gave a mock sour face to the Selkie. "It was before you got caught in the poison spell."

Kalyi Fei gave a weary smile. Her clothes were stained from their battles through the marshes. Dirt and dried mud had crusted in their armor, and Mog wasn't any better off. His fur, usually a soft silky white, was covered in mud. Besides, it would take another two days for them just to get back out of Conall Curach.

They pushed forward, the number of monsters noticeably dwindling. They had half a day left before they would reach the tree. Kalyi grabbed her friend's hand, and gestured forward. "Up ahead."

Alida took a long deep breath. She was obviously tired. "A Nightmare…"

Ahead of them, a gigantic purple behemoth pawed the ground. Its stinger was arched and curled, poised above its broad back. Two gigantic horns protruded from its 'head', with the mouth centered between. A dirty white mane jutted out of its back.

"Yup, that's a perfect name for them if you ask me," Kalyi Fei answered. "It's the first one of our trip."

"There's another monster next to it, Kupo." Mog said.

Kalyi strained her eyes through the thick miasma. "Great. Don't we have enough problems? The nightmare's hard enough."

Alida and Kalyi crept over, preparing for the attack. Alida pulled up her sleeve, revealing an intricate golden bracelet laden with different magicites. She selected one, removing it out of its pocket. The Life magicite swelled to its original size. She then placed it under a Thunder Magicite. The Life Magicite shrank to fit inside the pocket, fusing itself together with Thunder to create the spell Holy. She continued in this manner, until all of the pockets were filled with Magicites. After that, she fused a spare Fire magicite with her extra Defender sword. "Hey, Kalyi?"

"Hmm?" Kalyi responded. She herself was busy fusing spells in her bracelet and weapons.

"How much have we scored against the monsters?"

Kalyi Fei did some quick calculations. "A hundred twenty nine." She smiled. "Ready to pump up that number?"

--

After a few more intense hours of fighting, the three friends entered a large swamp-like area. A circular spit of land rose from the center, with three raft-like bridges surrounding one side. In the center of it all, a ring of treasure stood temptingly on the circular patch of land.

"Ooh…Treasure…" Kalyi Fei glanced longingly at the treasure chests. She fingered with the handle of her butterfly racket.

Alida smiled. "Don't you dare. If we can dodge this particular battle, I'm all for it."

Kalyi Fei smiled. "Oh come on, Alida. Don't you ever wonder what's inside those chests?"

Alida shrugged. "Yeah, I do. But it's not worth risking a fight with the Dragon Zombie. Now, come on. Let's go get our Myrrh."

Kalyi glanced off in the distance, where a Myrrh Tree stood, drooping its long leafy branches, tantalizingly signifying the end of the caravanners' long trek.

The three of them moved forward, careful to keep a safe distance from the circle of treasure. Kalyi Fei took one last look at the treasure, still wondering what it may be that they hid. She stopped.

"Uhh…Alida?"

"Huh?"

"What's that in the center of the circle of chests?" Kalyi asked.

Alida followed the direction of where Kalyi Fei was pointing. "I—I think it's a gremlin…" she trailed off. They looked at each other. "Uh-oh."

Sure enough, it was a gremlin, its maroon little head gleefully bobbing up and down in the center of the chests. It seemed unsure which one to open first.

A deep rumbling sounded from the sky, echoing across the plains. "Oh no…" Alida muttered.

"Hey! Get outta there!" Kalyi Fei picked up a rock and flung at the circle of treasure, trying to scare the gremlin away. But it was too late. The Zombie Dragon was coming.

"Dang…" Alida threw a sidelong glance at the Myrrh Tree. And they were so close too! "This just had to happen…" she braced herself for the upcoming battle, making sure that she had a holy spell ready at her fingertips.

The earth began to shake wildly. Alida and Kalyi Fei grabbed on hold of a nearby tree, bracing themselves. "If this was going to happen," Kalyi muttered, "We should have gone over and checked out the treasure…"

Mog teetered the chalice in his mouth, anxiously watching the shifting clouds. "It's coming, kupo!" he cried.

"Yeah, that's pretty obvious, isn't it?" Alida muttered.

A loud roar thundered in the sky. Then, a ghostly form of a dragon soared across, glaring at the all too familiar faces of the Tipa caravan.

It crashed on top of the circular spit of land, slamming into its coveted treasure. The treasure underneath it flattened and disintegrated. "Doesn't that kinda kill the purpose?" Kalyi thought irritably. _And besides,_ she wondered, _how in the world does the treasure materialize again? And when?_

The gremlin was conveniently squashed, but the three caravanners would have much more preferred fighting a gremlin compared to the Zombie Dragon.

It covered the entire spit of land, forcing the Tipa caravanners to crowd around the rafts. It was glaring red, blurred flames compensating its entire body. Piercing yellow eyes glared menacingly at the caravanners.

"Quick! Cast Holy!" Kalyi yelled. Alida immediately engulfed the dragon in the blinding spell. It materialized, howling in pain.

"Charge!" Alida and Kalyi Fei surged forward, weapons raised high. "Wait Kupo!"

--

--

Alida: Ooh…Cliffhanger. Sweet. But what happened to all the other fighting scenes?

Me: (squinty glance at Clavat) -later!-

Okay…I know it's not much, but come on people, it's only the first chapter. More is abound. I just have to get through the entire 'explaining' ordeal first.

Alida: This is an ordeal? How is this painful????

Kalyi Fei: (still doing copyright) Uh…Coffee pots…Oh! We're finished?

Me: Point in case.

Kalyi Fei: Please read and review!


	2. Chapter 2

And now, Chapter 2! Thanks for all of your reviews. ) You can check next chapter's commentary post for more in-depth stuff. But, I couldn't have gotten this far without the help—

Alida: Wait. Aren't you forgetting something?

Star Equinox: Huh? No I'm not!

Alida: I think you are.

Kalyi Fei: Cough Satu-D-2 Cough

(Satu-D-2 walks in)

Satu-D-2: Well, hi!!! (Waves)

Star Equinox: (points at Alida) hey! I was supposed to introduce her!! Not you!!

Alida: Why are you blaming me?!?!? It was Kalyi who mentioned her!!!

Satu-D-2: You know, Alida does have a point.

Kalyi: (mutters) Sure…blame the Selkie…

Star Equinox: Anyway…(glare at Alida and Kalyi) this is Satu-D-2

Satu-D-2: (waves again)

Star Equinox: She is the editor of this FFCC fanfic.

Satu-D-2: Editor?!?

Star Equinox: Uh… She is the coauthor of this—

Satu-D-2: Coauthor?!?!?!?

Star Equinox: Fine! We wrote the story together!

Satu-D-2: Damn straight.

Star Equinox: What is that supposed to mean!?

Alida: (Quickly) And now, the story!

Kalyi Fei: Wait! What about the Copyright…oh… (silenced after Alida points to the two fuming authors, giving each other death glares)

Kalyi Fei: And now onto the story!

Chapter 2

"Mog! Give me thunder!" Kalyi yelled.

Alida sped across the rafts, casting holy whenever she had a chance. Every time her spell made contact, the dragon became even angrier. All the while, Alida dodged the attacks from the Dragon.

Mog dropped the chalice to the ground, and fumbled with a spell. "No Mog, that's blizzard!" Kalyi yelled. "I need to stun the thing!"

"Sorry Kupo!" Mog cried, recasting until he created a thunder spell. "Alida!" Kalyi yelled, "Keep the thing busy!"

"What the heck do you think I'm doing!?!" she yelled back, dodging a yellow beam. "Hurry up and attack it before the holy spell wears off!"

Kalyi charged up a focus attack with her racket, aiming for the dragon. At the last instant, she absorbed Mog's thunder spell, and released the thunderstrike. She sailed through the air, but landed at the edge of the raft, almost toppling over into the water. "I can't get close enough!" she yelled.

Suddenly, a Sahagin popped up from the marshes. It stood there for a moment, looking at first Kalyi Fei and then at Alida. Then, deciding to pick the one that's closer, it charged at the Clavat and swiped at her shoulder.

"Ow!" Alida glared at the monster. "Scram, you creep," she snapped, throwing a quick few blows at the monster. It fell in a helpless heap. "Uh, I understand how entertaining it is to attack Sahagins," Kalyi said, "But, the Dragon's a bigger threat!"

The Dragon made a good point. It threw another blast of energy at them. They jumped out of the way in opposite directions.

Alida dodged a second blast, rolling along the rafts. She accidentally exited the chalice's aura. Her eyes watered against the thickened miasma. "Kalyi!" she choked. She was barely able to jump out of the way of another attack.

"Alida!" The dragon zombie glared down at the Clavat. It reared back. "Mog get the chalice!" Kalyi cried. "Get to Alida!"

A toxic green fume plumed out of the Dragon's mouth on top of Alida. The sickened gas entered her lungs. Alida grabbed her chest, plummeted by two poisonous gasses. She fell to her knees.

"ALIDA!!" Kalyi interchanged to her prism bludgeon, firing two quick blasts at the dragon. Together, she and Mog raced to Alida. "Mog! Drop the chalice and stay here with Alida!" Kalyi yelled. Mog did as he was told. "Alida, when I cast fire, cast life," Kalyi said. Alida immediately realized what the Selkie was doing.

"No! Kalyi!" she struggled to stand up.

Kalyi sped out of the Crystal's aura before Alida could stop her. All the while, Kalyi attacked the dragon with blasts of energy. The Dragon became enraged. He swiped at the Selkie, nicking her a few times with its long claws.

Kalyi stopped at the edge of the raft, and turned, staring into the eyes of the monster. The Miasma stung at her senses as she tried hard not to black out.

The Dragon had had it with the annoying Selkie. It reared back, ready to release a full-blown attack. "Kalyi! No!"

At that instant, Kalyi charged a fire spell. Alida knew that there was no other choice. She immediately created a Life spell, fusing it with Kalyi's fire.

Everything happened at once. Alida and Kalyi released their spells at the same time, creating a powerful Holgia spell. The blinding white light penetrated into the Dragon, but not before it released its final blow. A large ball of energy had materialized in its mouth, which slammed into the Selkie. Kalyi was knocked backwards. "KALYI!"

The Zombie Dragon flailed out, unable to withstand the powerful attack. It crashed into the marshes, kicking up mud and spewing it everywhere. Then, in a bright blast of light, it disintegrated, and the smoke curled off into the air.

Alida fell backwards from the blast, coughing on the gritty air. "Kalyi?" she cried, trying to see through the dust. A limp figure laid a few feet away from her and Mog. Blood trickled her nose and mouth, her hair thick and matted with blood, the crimson liquid combining with the thick mud. Her purple eyes were pleading, slightly glazed with pain, before they slowly slid closed.

"Kalyi!" Alida raced over to where her friend lay. She slumped down next to the limp body. "No, don't do this to me…"

Alida fumbled with a life magicite, quickly casting the spell. The soft yellowish light enveloped Kalyi. Alida held her breath.

The light faded, and in a split second, Kalyi Fei shot up, gasping for air. "You're okay!" Alida squeezed her into a tight hug.

"Gaak! I just died, Clavat! Don't kill me again!" Kalyi gasped, trying to break away from Alida.

"Are you crazy?!? What did you think you were doing!?!" Alida snapped. "What if I didn't have this life magicite? What if I had died as well!?! There wouldn't be anyone to revive us! We'd die, and take Tipa along with our myrrh-less crystal! And what about—"

Kalyi Fei rubbed her temples, waiting for Alida to catch her breath. "That's why I led the dragon away from you," Kalyi said the instant she had a chance. "And I told Mog to keep the chalice and stay with you. That way you couldn't die." She looked at Alida. "And I wouldn't have done that if you didn't have a Life magicite."

"What if we missed our spells and didn't cast Holgia?!?"

"If you didn't, then Mog would still cast Holy with you." Kalyi answered. "That's another reason why I left him with you."

"It wouldn't have been enough!"

"No, but it _would_ give you enough time to come over and revive me," she answered.

"What if I was too stunned to cast Holgia!?!"

Kalyi smiled. "You did cast it. Why bother?"

"Yeah but what if—"

"Alida," Kalyi said cutting her off. She was in no mood to hear the Clavat go on a mini-rampage again. "We've been traveling with each other for years. _Years_, Alida. We fought all kinds of monsters, and you get a little miffed up on a dragon we already defeated?"

--

--

Kalyi: What!?!? How come I died!?!

Star Equinox: Because you did.

Satu-D-2: Aw, poor bubby. At least you came back to life.

Kalyi: It's not fair! (pouts)

Alida: Come on, Kalyi. You were the hero!

Kalyi Fei: (Mumbles) I suppose so…

Satu-D-2: Read and Review! cough DBZ RULES cough

Star Equinox: What!?! Oh come _on! _Link and Cloud are sooo much better looking than any DBZ character!

Satu-D-2: How dare you! Tien is waaaay cuter than Link!!! And the way he acts with Chiaotzu shows he'd be a good dad too!!

Star Equinox: Dad!?!?!

Satu-D-2: Did I say dad? I meant...uh... flushes

Kalyi Fei: This can't be good...


	3. Chapter 3

Kalyi Fei: (In a sweet innocent voice) There heere…

Satu-D-2: Oh stuff it…

Star Equinox: Wow…We've been gone a really long time…

Satu-D-2: (turn to characters) Didja guys miss us?

Alida: Um…Are we gonna get in trouble if we say 'no'?

Star Equinox: Yes. (Starts typing on keyboard.)

Kalyi Fei: Alida!

Alida: (Sweatdrop)

Star Equinox: You know, I think this 'commentary' should be used if reviewers asked a question in the reviews. Shall I?

Satu-D-2: Okay. Go for it.

Star Equinox: (Checking reviews) Hmm… ladycordelia17 said that Kalyi is a sweetheart with De Nam. I didn't mean for that to look that way…I only wanted them to be good friends. Just to be clear on this, Kalyi's heartthrob is back in Tipa. Oh, btw, I just tossed in the Boss Battle as an extra chapter because this one was way too long on its own. Hehe…

Kalyi Fei: Wait. I have a boyfriend?

Star Equinox: Well, he's not really a boyfriend…he's your friend, but lately he's been having a crush on you, and you think it's cute, since you've known each other since you were little kids and why am I giving this away now instead of later in the story?

Alida: oooh…Kalyi and her boyfriend, sitting in a tree, Kay-eye-ess-ess—

Satu-D-2: (thwacks the back of Alida's head) Don't be so mean!

Alida: Ow! That hurts!

Satu-D-2: (Shrugs) You have a head plate. Besides, I didn't hit you that hard.

Kalyi: Wait, are you talking about Deh Yonn? No! I don't have a crush on him! I refuse!

Star Equinox: Well, it's not a crush, but…

Kalyi: I don't care! I don't have any type of relationships with him!

Star Equinox: (uses author's powers) Yes you do.

Kalyi: Oh! (Hearts float above her head anime-style) My sweet love, who waits for me back in Tipa, sitting by the river's edge longing for my presence as I long for his…. (Swoons)

Alida: (Rushes to grab Kalyi before she hits the floor) I think you over did it…

Satu-D-2: I _know_ she over did it.

Star Equinox: Shush. I'm still kind of new to this. Start the story while I try to undo this…

Alida: (Fanning Kalyi) What about the copyright?

Satu-D-2: Kalyi is obviously in no condition to do the copyright.

Star Equinox: I'm sorry! (pouts)

Alida: I could do it.

Satu-D-2: Never mind. This commentary is waaay too long, and the chapter is already long itself. (with a flourish) and now, the story!

Chapter 3

The two girls slumped down, panting in the humid air. Alida motioned to Mog to drop the chalice. They needed a break, and the Myrrh tree wasn't going to get up and walk away. "Hey, Alida?" Kalyi Fei said.

"Yeah?"

"Guess what. We scored 200 points against monsters." Kalyi smiled. "New record."

Alida laid down on the ground "Whoopee…" she said, not sounding the least bit excited.

Kalyi Fei laid down next to her. "For a Clavat, you're pretty ruthless," Kalyi commented. "And hard-core."

Alida raised an eyebrow. "I don't know if I should take that as a compliment on myself or as an insult as a Clavat."

"Take it as a compliment," Kalyi said. "It sounds better."

Alida smiled. "And for a Selkie, you can fight." Alida said.

Kalyi smiled. "Now who's insulting who?"

Alida shrugged. "I dunno. You're complimenting me."

--

"So, who should take the honor?" Kalyi asked.

Alida got up and stretched. "You can do it. I did it last time."

Kalyi nodded, and took the chalice from the ground. Together, the caravanners of Tipa headed over to the Myrrh Tree.

The Myrrh tree's graceful trunk curved upward from the ground, before the long branches billowed out, forming an emerald green canopy over a small stone pedestal that was placed at the foot of the tree. Myrrh glistened and shined within the branches, shimmering despite the dreary conditions of the weather.

Kalyi Fei slowed in her tracks. The Myrrh in their chalice swayed, swerving to and fro in its protective boundaries.

Gently, Kalyi placed the chalice on the pedestal pushed it forward, and then took a step back. The chalice's crystal began to glow, casting vivid colors of light in its direction. And then it happened.

The myrrh tree shimmered, with waves of energy riveting through its form. It traveled steadily upward, reaching the long branches, folding over itself.

A tiny little droplet began to form at the tip of the branch. It glimmered for a moment, before it slowly fell to the chalice below. The small crystal on the chalice caught the drop. A globe of Myrrh hung within the chalice, suspended by the crystal's power.

Gently, Kalyi picked up the chalice, and set it down on the ground.

She sighed. Their lives were dependent on the continuous flow of myrrh. If even one of the Myrrh Trees were to wither without a replacement, there would be anxiety in all of the villages, towns and cities.

_Unless, De Nam were to succeed in his research. But he still has a long way to go. Or we somehow rid the world of Miasma. Right, like that's going to happen anytime soon. _

Kalyi jumped at the gentle touch on her shoulder. "What's the matter?" Alida asked. "You look worried."

Kalyi shrugged. "Just thinking…" she murmured.

--

"Oh come on! I should take magic," Alida said. "You can have strength."

"You always take magic!"

"But I'm the one who cast more spells! I need magic."

Alida and Kalyi Fei stood at the edge of the Myrrh tree, bickering. Eight artifacts, or 'Myrrh Treasure', hung from the branches of the Myrrh Tree. Whenever a Caravan visited a Myrrh Tree, it would give gifts to them, in gratitude for fighting and working so hard.

"You're better in magic because you always take the magic!" Kalyi Fei retorted. "I'm an Alchemist daughter, and you're the one who's better in magic…Do I see some sort of irony here?"

Alida made a face. "You're magic level is pretty high. I'm only a little bit higher."

"So let's even it out! Our levels won't have such a big gap!"

"No way!"

"Why not?"

"We need to offset each other. You're higher in strength than I am."

"So? Take the Strength Artifact!"

"That's not my point!" Alida threw her arms up in exasperation. "My high Magic evens out your high strength and naturally high speed!"

"True, but my speed doesn't have anything to do with it! It's my tribal advantage! It doesn't count! And if we count _your_ naturally high defense—"

"You can heighten defense!"

"Yeah, but your's are already high. It even out my speed!"

"Oh for—"

"Mailmoogle at your service kupo!"

Alida glanced at the tiny little moogle that was carrying two letters in its mouth. "Uhh…Just a minute," she said. Alida lunged for the Magic artifact that was hanging on the myrrh tree. "Hey!" Kalyi exclaimed. "No fair!"

Alida smiled. "The myrrh tree picked me to get first dibs. So it is fair," she said, snapping the artifact on her charm bracelet. "Besides, the mailmoogle is here and you're too slow." She gave a sly smile. "Shameful since you're a Selkie."

Kalyi Fei glared at Alida. Sighing, Kalyi picked the most powerful strength artifact that was available.

She snapped the strength artifact on her charm bracelet, and then glanced at Alida. "Hmm…"

She picked up her butterfly racket that was laying on the ground. And then—

_Whack!_

"Ouch! What was that for!?!" Alida exclaimed, rubbing the back of her head.

Kalyi smiled. "Just testing out my new strength artifact." She held up her charm bracelet.

"Sweet. I'm happy."

"That hurt!"

Kalyi shrugged. "You have a head plate. Besides, I didn't hit you that hard."

Alida gave a death glare that was ever possible from a Clavat, as she took her letter from the mailmoogle.

After handing the other letter to the Selkie, the Mailmoogle flitted over to Mog. "Are they always like that, kupo?" the mailmoogle asked.

Mog smiled. "Kupo. You have no idea."

Alida tore open her letter, spilling out the contents.

_**Dearest Alida,**_

_**We have missed you terribly. We all hope you will come home soon. Mika will not stop asking how long you will be, and Antti is pretending not to care (don't worry; we catch him watching for you two every night). Please hurry home, we are awaiting you desperately.**_

_**There are terrible rumors going around, but your father and I are refusing to believe them. You are in enough danger without that. Antti told Mika about them and he's frantic with worry; that's why he keeps asking for you.**_

_**I hope that you are well, and that you and your Selkie friend are taking care of each other. The hopes of Tipa lie on your shoulders.**_

"Great," Alida said, sighing. "They barely bothered to write anything."

_**We eagerly await your return. The love of Antti, Mika, your father and I are with you, and we hope it is of some comfort.**_

_**All of our love,**_

_**Your Mother**_

Folded into the letter was a small note, and Alida smiled widely as she opened it, homesickness flooding her system as she saw the messy scribble of her younger brother.

_**Dear Alida,**_

_**I miss you. Come home soon please. Antti won't leave me alone and I need you here to stick up for me coz mum and dad aren't good at it like you are. Don't run into the bandits, coz I don't want you to get hurt.**_

_**Love,**_

_**Mika**_

"At least they gave me some food," Alida muttered, trying not to show how much hearing from her family had affected her. She tucked the letter from Mika into her breast pocket, and then sorted through the food that they'd sent her.

"Oi," Kalyi muttered.

Alida glanced at the Selkie. In one hand she held a letter from her father, and in her other hand was a small sum of gil. "What is it?" Alida asked.

Kalyi tossed the letter to the Clavat, who promptly caught it. She skimmed its contents.

_**Dear Kalyi Fei,**_

_**I hope you are doing well. Your brother and sister miss you, and have been 'practicing' their battle techniques with their toy rackets. They keep asking to borrow my old magicite bracelet so that they could practice magic, but I refused. They might set the house on fire or something. Both of them hope to be picked for the next generation of Tipa's caravan.**_

"Skip that," Kalyi said, "that's personal."

Alida glanced up. She made a face at the Selkie. "Why are you reading my letter?" she asked.

Kalyi shrugged. "You're reading my letter."

_**Anyways, there have been rumors of different caravans being attacked. But I'm afraid I can't offer many details. I know you and Alida are strong enough to fend for yourselves, but still, I'm worried about your well-being. Trust your Selkic instinct, and if you sense anything wrong, pull yourself and your Clavat friend out of the way. I don't want you to do anything reckless.**_

_**By the time you get this letter, you probably already have two drops of Myrrh. Collect your last drop and come straight back to Tipa. You are my daughter, and I love you. I don't want you to get caught up in anything more dangerous than life-threatening monsters and poisonous Miasma.**_

"Haha," Kalyi said with a smile. "My dad still makes a joke."

_**I tossed in some spending money for you, but don't go spending it all in one place. Your Mother says hi, and Luverski kal wate hayan te da ruta.**_

Alida blinked. "Huh?"

"It's Selkie," Kalyi said, tucking Alida's letter back in the envelope. "It means 'The river flows next to the bank, but it doesn't follow the bank'."

"What?"

Kalyi Fei shrugged. "The meaning gets lost in translation."

_**Come home quickly. The sooner you come back, the sooner we can hold the Myrrh Festival.**_

_**Love your Father,**_

_**Kono Dei**_

"So what do you think?" Kalyi said. "The way we're going, we still have to stop by the Fields of Fum to restock on food and stuff."

Alida shrugged. "I dunno." She scowled. "But who would be attacking caravans? Mika said something about bandits…but I think that's just Antti trying to scare him… Whoever it is, that's just…wrong. If a caravan fails on its trip, its people will…well, you know." She sighed. "Besides, being in the caravan is hard enough without being targeted."

They wrote their replies (Alida scribbling a short reassuring note to Mika), then handed it to the mailmoogle, who sped off through the Miasma. Alida picked up her sword. "Shall we go?" she asked.

Kalyi nodded, packing up their supplies. "On the bright side," she said, "We'll encounter fewer monsters on the way back."

Mog picked up the chalice. "Shall we go Kupo?"

Alida nodded. "Back to the Caravan."

--

--

Star Equinox: There. She should be okay now.

Kalyi: Ohh…I feel woozy…

Satu-D-2: That tends to happen if too much author powers are conjugated too quickly or all at once for a long period of time. Which, kind of what happened…. The best way to take care of that is a little bit more author power to get rid of the dizzyness.

Star Equinox: (Enacts author powers) Shall I?

Kalyi: No! I've had enough from you! Let Satu-D-2 do it! She's better than you!

Alida: (Still fanning Kalyi) that wasn't very nice…

Satu-D-2: (Smug)

Star Equinox: (Pout)

Deh Yonn: (Peeks out from behind a door) Um, did someone want to see me?

Alida: Huh? Why do you ask?

Deh Yonn: Well, I heard someone calling my name over and over again, so I figured I better check it out…

Kalyi Fei: (Clasps hands over her mouth) eek…Was I really that loud?

Alida: Umm…As a friend, I don't want to lie, but I also don't want you to feel any more ridiculous for what you've just done.

Kalyi: too late.

Satu-D-2: (Shoos Deh Yonn) Never mind. You can go. You don't appear until later.

Deh Yonn: (Shrugs) Well…okay. (Stars to leave, then pokes head back into room) Is Kalyi okay?

Kalyi Fei: (swoons)

Satu-D-2: Hm…Tricky that…

Star Equinox: Gaah! Kalyi stop swooning!

Deh Yonn: Uh... I'm gonna go now.

Star Equinox: Good idea. I don't think she'll be normal until I get her personality right...

Alida: Kalyi? Normal?

Deh Yonn: Ri-i-ight... (Closes door behind him)

Satu-D-2: I liked him. You've got good taste, Kalyi...

Kalyi: (half awake) Bleah…

Alida: Read and review!


	4. Chapter 4

Alida: Over two thousand words?!?! (Turns on authors) And you were worried the last one was too long?!?!

Kalyi: Actually, it's about two thousand, eight hundred, and twelve words, excluding the commentaries.

Satu-D-2: (snicker)

Star Equinox: (giggle)

Kalyi: Wait. Isn't giggle and snicker the same thing?

Star Equinox: Get into the story. (Shoves both characters into story portal)

Alida: NOT FAIR!! THIS IS GOING TO TAKE US FOREVEEEEEER!!!!!

Satu-D-2: And now, the story!

Star Equinox: Wait! I just remembered! we forgot the copyright!

Satu-D-2: Oh…Uh—never mind. We've already started the stor—

Chapter 4

It took them a good two days to get back to the caravan. When they emerged out of Conall Curach, they were more than happy to see their papaumous patiently waiting, tied to the truck of a tree. Their caravan stood next to him, tilted on an angle since it had nothing to support it.

"Hey Paupau," Alida said wearily, stroking the papaumous. "Didja miss us?" Paupau gave a soft nuzzle on the Clavat's hand. Kalyi smiled, reaching out to pet the papaumous. It gave an indecent snort, and glared at the Selkie. Kalyi immediately withdrew her hand.

"Fine," she muttered. Kalyi Fei craned her neck, searching the stars that were slowly disappearing from the night sky. "I'd say it's about five in the morning," she said. "Let's get some sleep before we hafta leave."

Kalyi removed a small key from her pocket, and unlocked the doors of the caravan. Every time they searched for Myrrh, they had to lock the front and back doors of the caravan to protect their belongings from monsters. Luckily, they didn't have to worry too much. If a monster approached the caravan, Paupau would trample over it; a dire warning to all other monsters to stay away. "All right, Mog," Kalyi said. "Put the chalice away."

"Kupo," Mog replied happily. He went inside the caravan, hanging the chalice on a hook placed on the roof. He promptly fell into the mass of multicolored blankets, immediately dozing off. Kalyi nimbly leaped into the tiny caravan, reaching over to where the sleeping bags were secured, careful not to wake Mog.

Outside, Alida undid the knot that kept Paupau from wandering off. "We can't sleep," Alida said.

"What?" Kalyi asked, as she peered out from the other side of the curtains.

Alida was already preparing the caravan. "We need to leave now." She said, glancing off to the horizon.

"Alida, what do you mean?" Kalyi asked in bewilderment, jumping out of the caravan. "We just spent five days wandering around Conall Curach, and on the last two days we barely even slept. I'm faint from exhaustion!"

Alida rubbed her eyes. "I'm as tired as you are, but we need to go." She blinked, trying to stay awake. "We need to get on the other side of the Miasma Stream as soon as possible."

"Alida, do you know how long that's going to take us? Three whole days!"

Alida shook her head. "Not if we cut through the mountains instead of following the road. We'll get there in one day if we hurry and don't stop to rest."

"Alida," Kalyi interjected, "Nobody travels by that course for a reason. It's dangerously downhill. We could crash."

"I know, I know," she sighed. "But we don't really have a choice. We need to leave Rebena Plains as soon as possible."

Alida glanced off in the distance. "The monsters know we're tired. They might attack us, and we'll be too weak to fend them off."

Kalyi grimaced. Alida had a point. "All right…" she muttered. She climbed into the caravan, securing their belongings.

"…Kupo?" Mog shifted in the blankets. "What are you doing, Kupo?"

Kalyi Fei placed a gentle hand on the Moogle. "We're leaving now, Mog," she said. "But it's okay. You can go back to sleep."

"No, that wouldn't be fair, Kupo." He said, jumping up. "If you and Alida have to work, then I'll help too, Kupo."

Alida glanced at the tiny moogle. "What can you do to help?" she wondered.

Mog huffed at the insult, and flitted over to Kalyi. "Can I, Kupo?" he asked.

Kalyi shrugged. "Yeah, whatever."

Mog went around the caravan, out of the view of the Clavat. Then, very carefully, he hovered above her head, zoning in on her ear. When he was just inches away, he filled his tiny lungs with as much air as possible.

"KUPO!"

"Yeow!" Alida jolted from the tiny ringing voice. "Mog!" she yelled at the moogle, who was speeding off to the safety of the Selkie. "Get back here you little furball!"

Kalyi smirked at Alida. "C'mon. He's just teasing you."

--

The caravan trundled through the grass, leaving the road a few feet behind. It was decided that the group would stop over by a river to restock on food before taking the shortcut. There was a small grove where schools of fishes lived, next to a wild patch of star carrots and gourd potatoes.

Kalyi Fei sat on top of the caravan, keeping a lookout for the bright red marker. Several of these 'food patches' dotted the path of the crystal caravan. It allowed caravaners to restock on food when they couldn't rely on stealing from monsters, and when there were no towns or cities nearby.

"It's over to your left!" Kalyi shouted to Alida. Alida steered the papaumous in the general direction. Up ahead, an iron rod protruded from the ground, with a bright red ribbon tied at the tip.

"Okay, this is good." Alida said, stopping next to the food patch. "Kalyi, grab the fishing nets and I'll dig up the gourd potato and star carrots."

Kalyi made a face at Alida as she climbed off the caravan. "Since when did you become the leader of his caravan?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Alida said.

"You're giving orders," Kalyi pointed out. "This caravan isn't supposed to have a leader. It's been like that since Tipa was established."

"I am not giving orders!" Alida rolled her eyes. "Come _on_. I can tell which vegetables are matured, and you can tell where the fishes are hiding. Common sense."

Alida took the chalice out, allowing the crystal aura to cover the food patch. "Now come on!"

Kalyi scowled. Even if Alida was her best friend, Kalyi Fei hated it when Alida showed her up in even the tiniest of things. She grabbed the fishing nets and trudged down toward the river.

She moved down until she found a place where the grass was relatively tall. She quickly glanced back, and then laid the net down. She then flopped on top of it, and closed her eyes. She could fish later. A few minutes of shut-eye wasn't going to hurt.

--

Alida's hands were sore from tugging at the stubborn vegetables. The wild roots dug deeper than the ones that grew on farmland. "I'm a tailor's daughter, not a farmer," she muttered in irritation. "Kalyi," she called, "Could you help me for a second…?"

She looked back, momentarily surprised to see no Selkie fishing by the river. But then again, this _was_ Kalyi Fei…

Alida got up, dusting the bits of dirt from her coat. She made her way to the bank of the river. She found Kalyi sound asleep, hidden by the tall grass. Alida sighed. "Oh please…"

A small curve appeared on the Clavat's lips. She glanced at the river, then back at her friend. It was straight downhill to the river.

Very carefully, Alida took a firm grip on the fishing net. Then, she gave a good hard yank. A startled cry passed the Selkie's lips, before it was cut off by a splash of water. Kalyi immediately shot up. "YEOW! IT'S FREEZING!!!"

She stood shivering in hip-deep water, glaring at a Clavat two feet away, who was in a frenzied fit of laughter. "WHAT IN THE NAME OF BLAZING MAGICITES DID YOU DO THAT FOR!?!" Kalyi shrieked.

"Wow," Alida smiled. "'Blazing magicites'? You must be pretty hysterical."

--

Several feet away, two pairs of eyes watched the Selkie and Clavat from Tipa. They had concealed themselves in the tall grass, hidden from view.

The two spies were strong and capable fighters, wearing dark clothes that covered the scars of many battles. Finally one of them spoke up. "Why them?" she asked.

The other sighed. "They have the best potential." He curtly answered.

"Alfitaria would be better; they have more people—"

"No. Tipa is a small village, and this caravan has a moogle. Enough said."

The girl shook her head. "I'm not so sure about this…"

"It'll be fine." He said, watching the drenched Selkie angrily advance on her Clavat companion. The Clavat merely shrugged and replied with a witty remark. This enraged the Selkie as she yelled at the Clavat from the top of her lungs. The Selkie stomped forward, but slipped on the riverbank, and fell back down with a resounding splash. The Clavat then responded with a renewed fit of laughter. "Quick, go tell the others that we're leaving soon."

The girl nodded, and crept back in the direction they had come. Not a single strand of grass wavered to betray her presence.

The boy, now left alone, studied the two caravanners. After the two girls had yelled at each other for a few minutes, the Selkie had sulkily picked up her net and was casting it into the river. The Clavat had resumed digging up the vegetables, using her sword as a shovel.

"Soon," he whispered, "My people will be free."

--

The caravan of Tipa stood at the top of a steep decline. Paupau was unhitched from the caravan, and both Caravanners were busy securing things inside the Caravan. "Did I tell you that this is a bad idea?" Kalyi said, as she bolted the cooking pots and pans inside of the cupboard.

"Not for the twentieth time," Alida answered, removing the dishes and wrapping them in extra blankets before placing them in a large box. "But do you have a better idea?"

"Not really," Kalyi said. She turned to the other side of the wall. Tight rubber bands were stretched across the boxes that lined the shelf, holding back their various belongings. "I just hope the bands don't snap like last time," Kalyi said. She double-checked the straps that held the trunks of clothes. "Remember the mess?"

Alida grimaced. "Good thing nothing broke," she said, hefting the large box she had been packing. "I'm gonna hitch this to Paupau. I'll be right back." She said.

Anything that could crack was placed inside that box. Personal belongings, dishes, even the windows. Kalyi checked the bolts one last time before she jumped out of the caravan and locked the doors.

Alida and Kalyi tightened the wheels so that they wouldn't skid on the slope. When everything was done, they pulled the caravan to the top of the incline, with Mog following them and carrying the chalice.

Turning it around so that it would go backwards first, they gave a good hard shove. The caravan fell back, trundling down the hill. The part that was used to hitch Paupau scraped at the mountainside, keeping the caravan balanced.

For a while, they watched it fall. Then they turned and walked over to Paupau.

Alida climbed on top of the Papaumous, settling herself in front. Kalyi hesitated. "Paupau hates me," Kalyi said. "There's no way how he's going to let me climb up on his back."

"That's silly," Alida said. "Paupau doesn't like you because you don't give him a chance for him to get to know you." She put one hand between the Papaumous's ears, grinning as she gently tickled him. "He's a softy, really."

Kalyi didn't look convinced, and sure enough as she tried to clamber onto Paupau's back, the Papaumous shifted. Alida stilled him with a quiet murmur of comfort. Mog handed the chalice to Kalyi and then latched onto her shoulder. Alida grinned behind her.

"Ready?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Kalyi asked incredulously. "How can you be ready for something like…?"

Her voice broke off as Alida urged Paupau forward, over the edge of the incline. His feet slipped for a moment, sending them skidding down the hill, before he finally gained his grip. The weight of all of them plus the papaumous was too much, and they continued to stumble down at an increasing rate. Kalyi wrapped one arm around Alida's waist and the other around the chalice, Mog clutching tight to her sleeve, while Alida hunched forward and twined her hands into Paupau's thick fur and pressed her face close to him.

"Keep going, Paupau," she urged, clenching her eyes shut tight. "It's okay. I trust you, I know you'll get us there safely."

It felt like an age. Time slowed to a crawl as branches whipped past them, their hearts thumping hard in their chests, adrenaline banishing fear from them, the sound of stones tumbling down the cliff before them ringing in their ears.

Even when Paupau eventually stopped, no one moved. Alida was the first to risk any movement, lifting her head. She saw the mountain range, made of sheer grey cliffs and unlimited rock, their caravan resting against the wall. She let out a whoop of triumph, making both Kalyi and Mog jump.

"Are we dead?" Kalyi asked.

"We made it! HA! Take that, fate!" Alida cried. She jumped off Paupau's back and hugged him tight, actually kissing the spot above his nose. "Great job, Paupau! You were great!"

When he saw that Alida was off him, but still felt someone sitting on his back, he snorted in disbelief and bucked slightly. Kalyi got the point and tried to get off of him, but wasn't quick enough for Paupau. He bucked harder, throwing the Selkie to the ground, as Mog quickly flapped into the air. This left Alida to hug, pet and praise Paupau.

"Why doesn't he like me?" Kalyi asked, sprawled on the ground, with the chalice next to her.

"Coz you never praise him," Alida said. She kissed the spot above his nose again, then pressed her forehead to his. "Good job, Paupau. We couldn't have done it without you."

He let out an appreciative noise, nuzzling into her. Kalyi blinked at them, then uncertainly patted his shoulder, muttering, "Yeah…good job."

He looked at her, then lifted his head for a moment, before pressing his nose to Alida's cheek, snuffling at her skin. She giggled, then turned and kissed him on the nose.

"How's that for a shortcut?" she asked with a grin, putting a hand on Paupau's cheek as he nuzzled her other hand.

Kalyi stared at her in disbelief, then let out a sigh. "Ugh, please just…don't mention it again, okay?" She looked up at Mog. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, kupo," Mog said, though he looked a little shaken.

--

After Alida hitched Paupau back onto the caravan, (Kalyi Fei didn't dare to go close to him, insisting on putting the caravan back in shape) they walked along the edge of the mountain range, heading to the entrance of the Miasma stream. The caravan had survived its treatment, along with all of their belongings.

The caravan cautiously crept into the cave. (A/N: I didn't bother picking a year for the story, so I'm just picking a random element.) Thick Miasma swirled within, gleaned with a vivid red color. The soft murmer of the Miasma filled their ears, echoing and rebounding off in the cave. Ahead of them stretch a stone path, attaching the two exits over the chasm. Stark shadows of leafless trees flickered in the distance, starved by the Miasma.

Kalyi glanced over the edge of the path. It seemed to stretched below her, with no ending. "That's impossible," Alida had once said. "There are trees in the distance. There must be somewhere where they anchored there roots."

"You don't know Alida," Kalyi Fei answered. "There are a lot of things in this world we don't know about."

As usual, Mog and Paupau headed into stream first, unaffected by the Miasma. If Kalyi Fei and Alida traveled into the stream with them, Paupau would panic from the Miasma stream's effect on the two Caravanners. It was too risky to have the Papaumous to panic.

"Okay, their on the other side," Alida said, picking up the chalice. "Let's go."

They moved quickly, pushing through the Miasma. The gaseous swirls attempted to push them back with their magnetic power, slowing their pace. The steady murmer grew louder, until it was deafening. It sounded like the groaning agonies of a thousand voices, warning caravanners not to pass the swirling stream. But the Crystal Chalice won out.

A sphere of energy illuminated around them, blocking out the effects of the Miasma. The sound of the miasma had even been silenced; barely audible through the crystal barrier. Alida stared transfixed by the crystal's power. The borderline of the Crystal was rarely visible; at most, you could only see a thin line of whatever the Crystal's element was. Now, it rippled in vivid waves of energy, fighting off the Miasma.

"Hey, can we go?" Kalyi's voice cut through Alida's thoughts. She stood at the edge of the borderline. "As much as it is fun to stand here and stare at the Miasma, our caravan is on the other side."

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Alida: Yaay! We're done!

Satu-D-2: At least until the next story, you are.

Kalyi: Aww…

Star Equinox: Read and Review!


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